Spirit-level-illuminating device



Jan. 6, 1 25- ,1,522,100 E. BRIGHT SP-IRIT LEVEL ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed May 8; 1925 x y 1 v 262% i H I III 7% Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

nmitnniinrennonroitnrowa j A iicat iontrafmaj 83923. s'i ia 637,438. j 1 I of. Fort-Des Moines; in the county of Polk,

State of Iowa; have invented a certain new I and useful Spirit Level-IlluminatingDevice,

of which the following is a'specifica-tion'; Theob'ect of my invention is toprovide a device 0 simple; 'du'rable and inexpensive construction'capable of being readilyuickly and easily I applied as an attachment to a spirit level, and so constructed and "arranged that when thus app lied,' a- 'pocket electric "flash light 1 of the kind now in commonu's'e may be inserted 1 therein and held a in such position as to brightly'illuminate'either the bubble tubes that are extended transversely with the longitudinal axis of the spiritlevel or the bubble "tubesfthat are extended parallel with- 'the-longitudinal axis, and

whereby whenthespirit :level'is to be used in places that are r'elatively--dark, I the operator may; when desired to use the spirit level,- push. the spot light button" and apply a brilliant illumination to the particular bubble glass he desires'to see. 1

T My invention consists inthe construction,

. arrangement and combination of the'various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, 'asher'eina-fter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of a spirit level of ordinary construction having v my illuminating device applied thereto.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged, detail face view with parts broken away illustrating a portion of aspirit level with my improvement applied thereto. The dotted lines in said figure show the flash light in its position for illuminating the bubble tubes that are parallel with the longitudinal axis of the spirit level.

Figure 3 shows a sectional view on the 7 line 3--3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 shows adetail edge View of a spirit level to illustrate the adjusting means for the attachment.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Y I have used the reference numeral 10 to indictate generally the frame of a spirit level of the class which is now in common use, andis formed complete of a single piece of metal; and is usually provided with three circular BRIGHT}, a i 1 citizen of the Un-ited States, and a resident or {there are usuallyffformed"rectangular openings13,fandilfhavearranged to apply my attachment to t these-"openings 13."

My improved attachment comprises a bolt 14 with washers 1'5 and a nut '16. This "bolt is extended through a longitudinahslot 17 "formed in the sides of the frame 10,and ad- 'jacent" to the slot is a f depression 318 formed in the sides of the"frame"10" fin'which the bolt head and 'nutmay be contained without I projecting "beyond the edges of the spirit 'level'frame.

. I Mounted upon this bolt is a sheet metal Cup 'shaped member "19]Ihavi-ng a loop 20 at-lon'e' end pivotally mounted upon the-bolt 14 Mounted within the cup shaped portion '19'isa spring 21. A circular opening 11 22 isformedin the frame 10 between each of the openings 11', andtheadj acent opening 13.

The pocket flash lamp is indicated gen- 7 erally by the numeral 23, and isprovided with a projectingrounded lamp and lens portion 24, and also with a button 25 for switching the light off and on. These pocket flash lamps are now in common use and can be easily secured in any locality at a slight cost. 'They vary to a certain ex tent in. size and general shape, but my attachment is so constructed and arranged as to be capable of using :these flash lamps in various sizes and shapes.

In practical use and assuming that-the at-- tachment is applied to a spirit level in the manner shown, then the operator places the flash light in the. holder 19 against the spring 21', and this spring will force the projecting bulb of the lamp into the adj acent one of the openings 22. The spring.

pressure applied to the opposite end of the flash lamp will securely'hold it in this position during ordinary use without any attention on the part of the operator, or without in any way interfering with the normal use of the spirit level.

when it is. desired to use the spirit level in a dark place the operator simply operates the spirit level switch button. and the against the. spring 21 until its bulb is out of theopening 22. He then swings the, lamp and its socket bodily to the opposite limit of its movement and inserts the lamp bulb in the opening 22 adjacent to the longitudinally arranged bubbletubes, and the spring 21 operates-to firmly hold the lamp in this adjusted position.

In the event that an excessively small or.

an excessively large lamp is used, then the bolt 14 may be adjusted longitudinally in the slot 17 so that such relatively short or long lamp may be used, but such adjustment is unnecessary it a lamp of proper size is used.

I claim as my invention:

1. Theic ombination of a spirit level having a bubble tube therein extended parallel with its longitudinal axis and another bubble tube therein extended transversely thereof, said spirit level also being formed with a lamp opening between the two bubble tubes and also with passageways extending from the lamp opening to the bubble tubes. a lamp holder pivotally mounted in the lamp opening of the spirit level and an electric lamp mounted in the holder whereby the. holder and 15111015v may be named to position for projecting light from the lamp into either of said passageways, for the-purposes stated. v I 2. The combination of a spirit level havinga bubble tube therein extended parallel.

to position adjacent thereto.

3. The combination-of: a. spirit level having a bubble tube therein extended parallel with its longitudinal axis and another bubble tube therein extended transversely thereof. said spirit level also being formed with a lamp opening between the two bubble tubes and also with passageways extending from the lamp opening to the bubble tubes, a lamp holder pivotally mounted in the lamp opening of the spirit level and an electric lamp mounted in the holder and having a projecting lamp bulb designed to enter either of said passageways, and a spring carried by the holder to yieldingly engage thelamp and to project its bulb into either of said passageways when moved to position adjacent thereto, said. lamp holder being movable longitudinally of the spirit level, and means for securing it in various positions of said movement.

Des Moines, Iowa, April 18, 1923.

'ELMER BRIGHT. 

